Dent votes against slapping self on wrist for debt limit increase

So the Lehigh Valley Republican, who is garnering quite the reputation as a rebel since he disagreed with party leadership over the government shutdown, refused to join in a public shaming over raising the debt limit.

Almost all of his House Republican colleagues voted Wednesday for a resolution disapproving of Congress' last minute decision on Oct. 16 to increase the debt limit and avert a potential credit default.

It was a symbolic mea culpa. But Dent wasn't saying sorry.

"It looked a little gimmicky," Dent said Thursday. "Being asked to disapprove…it sends a mixed message. Most of us who voted for the bill a few weeks ago understood what we were doing, the disapproval vote looks a bit inconsistent."

Dent and just three other GOP lawmakers voted with Democrats against the resolution.

The disapproval vote was a condition of the deal that reopened the federal government and increased borrowing. It was a way for GOP lawmakers embattled over the 16-day federal government shutdown to vote to get the government running again, but also go on record that they opposed raising the debt limit.

But it seems unlikely that this week's self-damnation will shield Republicans from a "was for it before I was against"-style attack ad next yet.